Prepayment watt-hour meter.



W. M. ERADSHAW & W. G. MYLIUS' 'PREPAYMENT WATT HOUR METER.

APPucATlou FILED NOV.25. 1914.

1,274,6?%Q Patented Ailg. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- TTORNEY W. M. BRADSHAW & W. G. MYLIUS.

PREPAYMENT WATT HOUR METER.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV-25. 1914- 1,274,672. Patented Aug. 6,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INV NTOR J! ra di/mw A TORNEY m: uomws PETERS cu. FNOTO-LIYMQ, wAsnmcmN. n. 1..

STATES PATE F I E WILLIAM M. BRADSHAW AND WALTER G. MYLITIS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIQNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- POZRATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

rnnra MnNT WA'rnnoUn METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918,.

\ Application filed November 25, 1914. Serial N 0. 873,924.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, WILLIAM M. BRAD sHAw, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny'and State of Pennsylvanimand WALTER MYLIUS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of WVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny'and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Prepayment \Vatt-Hour Heters, of which the following is a Specification.

Our invention relates to watthour meters of the prepayment type, and it has particular reference to the coin-controlled operating mechanism of such meters.

One object of our invention is to provide a main spring that is wound from one end and is continuously released from its other end, in accordance with the power consumed.

Another object of our invention is to provide a quick-break switch that is closed when a. main shaft is rotated and is controlled by the relative positions of the ends of the main spring.

Another object of our invention is to provide totalizing devices for indicating the number of coins inserted in the meter.

Another object of our' invention is to so arrange the coin-controlled mechanism that it may be easily applied to the usual form or watthour meter without appreciably increasing the size of the meterf Heretofore, watthour meters of the prepayment type have been constructed that comprised a'main spring, a switch operated the main spring and a controlling mechanism that released the main spring after the predetermined amount of energy had been consumed. WVhile instruments of this type haveoperated satisfactorily, they are bulky and require a V specially constructed watthour meter and complicated controlling mechanisms.' I I e e provide a watthour meter of the prepayment type thatdoes not require a complicated mechanism and that may be easily adapted to a watthour -meter; of the usual type. V In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a prepayment meter embodying our invention Fig. 2' is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, of the meter shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aside view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of themeter shown in Figs 1 and 2 Figsff c and 5 are side and front views, respectii'ely, of the main rotating shaft employed in our invention; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 area top plan view, a side elevational view and a front elevational view, respectively, of a coin dey ice that is embodied in our invention; Fig. 9 is a top view, partially in plan and partially in section, of the mechanism that is embodied in our invention; Fig. 10 is a view taken on the line XX of Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is a iew taken on the line XIXI of Fig. 9. I

A prepayment watthour meter 1 comprises a casing 2 that supports an ordinary watthour meter, 3, a switch at, a coin-controlled mechanism 5, an escapement mechanism 6, a coin device 7 and a coin receptacle 8.

The watthour meter 3 comprises a magnetizable core member 9, magnetizing windings (not shown), a rotatable armature 10 that'is mounted upon a shaft 11 and a plurality of damping magnets 1:2, substantially as shown in the drawings.

The magnetizing windings are electrically connected to the stationary contact members l3'a'nd 14 of the switch The switch 4500mprises, besides the contact members 13 and 14, a rotatably mounted insulating member 15' that has a bridging contact member 16 mounted tliereoina'pinion 18 and a pin 19 to which is attached one end of a spring 20, the other end of which is attachedto a stationary pin 21. The member 15 and the pinion 18 are secured together and are rotativ'ely mounted on a pin 18?. A segmental gear wheel is mounted on the end of a main shaft 2% and is adapted to engage the segmental pinion 18 for the purpose of operating the switch. The shaft 24 forms a part of the coin device 7 and has mounted thereon a pinion 25. and a hollow cylindrical member having two diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 2'? therein. The cylindrical member 2,6is disposed in a casing 28 that has aslot29 in its upper end. i A coin device 30 is disposed within thecylindrical member 26 and is provided with a handle 31, an opening 32'for receiving a coin and a flange 32 that engages a pin 32 in the casing'28 where the device 30 is turned 180. The opening in the coin device is of such size that, if a coin of'the correct denomination a pointer 36 permanently mounted thereon and a collar 35 loosely mounted thereon. A dial 37 is mounted on the collar, and a main spring 38 has its inner end attached to the V collar 35 and its outer end connected to the spring case 34. The spring case 34 is provided with a gear wheel 39 that engages a pinion 40, for reasons hereinafter more fully setforth. 'A gear wheel 41 is also mounted on the collar 35 and to engage an idler gear wheel 42 which also engages the pinion 25 on the shaft 24. A ratchetwheel 43 is mounted on a shaft 44, with the idler gear wheel 42, and is engaged by a restraining pawl 45 to prevent the unwinding of the spring 38 from its inner end.

The shaft 11, upon which is mounted the armature 10, is provided with a pinion 46 that engages a gear wheel 47. The gear wheel 47 is mounted on a shaft 48 that also has a worm screw 49 mounted thereon. The worm screw 49 engages a worm wheel 50 that is mounted on a shaft 51, with an eccentrio 52. An eccentric strap 53 is mounted on a shaft 54 to engage the eccentric 52, substantially as shown. A double pallet 55, that is also mounted on the shaft 54, engages an escapement wheel 56 that is mounted on a shaft 57, with a pinion 58. The pinion 58 engages a gear wheel 59 that is mounted on a shaft 60, with the pinion 40.

Upon two projections 61 of the spring case 34, is pivotally mounted a shaft 62 that has two arms 63 and64 attached thereto. The arms 63 and 64 are substantially at right angles to each other and the former extends through an opening 65 in the spring case 34 for the purpose of engaging an arm 66 that is attached to the collar 35. The arm 63 engages the arm 66 when the spring is unwound a predetermined degree, and the engagement of the'two arms causes the shaft 62 to turn and the arm 64 to engage a bell 50 .70 is'mounted upon the collar 35 and isvprovided with a notch 71 anda pin 72. A gear wheel 73'is adapted toengage the diskj70 and be actuated by the pin 72 every timethe disk rotates one revolution. The gear wheel 73 provided with. a scale 74that is visible through an opening 75 in the front of the casing? 2. The scale 74 is for; the pur-' pose of assisting in indicating the number of coins that'have been inserted in the coin receptacle 8. Astationary'scale 74 is provided to coeperate wi th the scale 74 tofindi cate the number. of coins inserted in the receptacle 8.

Assuming that the switch 4 is open and that it is desired to supply energy to a circuit, our invention operates as follows:

A coin is inserted in the slots 29, 27 and 32 and the handle 31is turned 180 to allow the coin to drop into the receptacle 8. Further rotation is prevented by reason of the engagement of the flange 32 and the pin 32. Since, when the switch 4 is in its open position, the segmental gear wheel 22 and the segmental pinion 18 are engaged, the turning of the handle 31 will rotate the segmental gear wheel 22 which causes the gear wheel 18 and the insulating member 15 to turn in a counter-clockwise direction until the portions of the gear wheel 22 and the pinion 18 that are not provided with teeth become disengaged from each other. The spring 20 will then cause the member 15 to turnfurther in a counter-clockwise direction and the contact member 16 to engage the stationary contact members 13 and 14 with a quick action. The pin 17 engages the arm 69 of the bell crank lever 67 and restrains the switch 4 in its closed position as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The turning of the handle 31 causes the pinion 25 to drive the idler gear wheel 42 and this drives the gear wheel 41 that is mounted on the collar 35. The turning movement of the collar 35 winds the spring 38 from its inner end and also causes the dial 37 to be turned a predetermined distance. The turning of the dial causes the pin 72 to engage the gear wheel 73 once each revolution, as hereinbefore described. Since the arm 66 is mounted upon the sleeve 35,.it is also turned a predetermined distance every time the handle 31 is turned 180.

ings of the instrument. The rotation of the armature causes the eccentric .52 to be rotated through the shaft 51, worm wheel 50, worm screw 59, shaft 48, gear wheel 47and pinion'46. The rotation of the eccentric 52 causes the shaft 54 to be oscillated and this 'actuates a double pallet 55'to release the escapement wheel 56, in accordance with the amount of energy being metered'or in accordance with the speed of the armature 10. Since the outer end of the spring. 38 is connected to the spring case 34, and" since the spring case 34 isoperatively connected tothe pinion 40, that is mounted on the shaft 60 with 7 the gear wheel 59, the

spring 38 will be continuously V unwound.

from its outer end inaccordance. withthe speedof the armature l0. The spring case to. engage the. circular portion 68 of the bell crank lever 67 to disengage the arm 69. from the pin 17. The disengagement of the arm 69. from the pin 17 causes the spring 20 to quickly turn the member 15 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown 'in Figs. 10 and 11 to disengage the contact member16 from the contact members 13 and 14:. The spring 20 is adapted to bias the member 15. toward either side of its deadcenter position.

Since the. dial 37 is rotated a predetermined distance every time the shaft 2t is turned 180, the distance moved by the dial will indicate the number of coins that have been inserted in the instrument and, since the dial 37 moves in the same direction as the dial, the position of the pointer, at any instant, will indicate the number of coins to the customers credit in the instrument, and the pointer 36, in cooperation with thestationary dial 7 1%, will indicate the number of coins in the receptacle in conjunction with the dial 7.4.

It will be. understood that, when the pointer 36: coincides with the zero marking of the dial, irrespective of the position that the zero marking has assumed, that the switch 1 will be opened and the armature will cease rotating.

In order to maintain a check on the instrument reader, the gear wheel 7 3 and the dial 74 have been provided. These are read each time the receptacle 8 is emptied, and the difference in the successive readings should correspond; to the number of coins in the receptacle 8.

Our invention is not limited to, the particular construction illustrated but may be variously modified within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A meter comprising a rotatable armature, a main spring adapted to be wound from one end, means controlled by the rotation of; the armature for permitting the spring to unwind continuously from the other end, a switch, and means actuated by both ends of the springfor tripping the switch.

2. A meter comprising a rotatable armature, a main springadaptedtobe wound from one end, means controlled by the rotation of the armature for permitting the spring to unwind continuously from the other end, a switch biased toward its open position, means for holding the switch in its closed position, and means actuated by the cooperation of both ends of the spring for actuating the switch-holding means to trip the switch.

3. In a prepayment watthour meter, the combination with a main shaft and a main spring, of a segmental gear wheel mounted on the main shaft, a pivotally mounted member having a contact member and a segmental pinion mounted thereon, said pinion being adapted' to engage the segmental gear wheel, means for biasing the pivotally mounted member on each side of its deadcenter position, means for holding the pivotally mounted member in a predetermined position, and means controlled by the relative. position of the ends of the main spring for controlling the said holding means.

4. In a prepayment meter, the combination with a coin-controlled shaft, of a segmental gear wheel mounted on the. shaft, a pivotally-mounted member having a contact member and a segmental pinion mounted thereon, said pinion being adapted to engage said gear wheel when the shaft is turned under predetermined conditions, means for actuating the pivotally mounted member independently of the shaft after the shaft is turned a predetermined distance, and means for retaining the. pivotally mounted member in a predetermined position.

5. In a meter, the combination with a 1'0- tatable member, of a switch, a main spring that is wound from one end, an escapement mechanism that is operated by the said rotatable member for permitting the unwinding of the main spring from its other end, and means controlled by the. relative positions of the two ends of-the said main spring for tripping the said switch under predetermined conditions.

6. In a prepayment meter, the combination with a coin-controlled shaft, of a pivotally mounted contact-carrying member, means whereby the turning of the shaft moves the contact-carrying member to a predetermined position, and means for independently moving the contact carrying member into another position, irrespective of further movement of the shaft.

'ZJA meter comprising a rotatable member, a main spring having a pointer connected to one end thereof and a dial to the other end thereof, an escapement mechanism operated by the said rotatable member for permitting the said spring to unwind from one end to cause the said pointer to rotate in the, same direction as the said dial, and means depending upon the relativepositions of the pointer andthe said dial for controlling the operation of the said meter.

8. In a meter, the combination with a rotatable member, of a main shaft, a switch operatively connected to the said main shaft, a main spring that is wound from one end by the rotation of the said main shaft, an

escapement mechanism that is operated by the said rotatable member for permitting the unwinding of the main spring from its other end, and means controlled by the relative positions of the two ends of the said main spring for tripping the said switch.

9. In a prepayment meter, the combination with a coincontrolled shaft, of apivotally mounted contacticarrying member, means whereby the turning of the shaft moves the'contact-carrying member to a predetermined position, and a spring for independently snapping the contact-carry- I ing member into another position, irrespective of further movement of the shaft.

10. In a prepayment meter, the combination witha coin-controlled shaft, of a rotatable contact-carrying member, means for operatively connectingthe shaft to the rotatable member, under predetermined conditions, whereby the turning of the shaft moves the rotatable member to a predetermined position, and means independent of the shaft for moving the rotatable member to another predetermined position after it is disconnected from the shaft. 7

11. In a prepayment watthour meter, the

7 main spring for restraining the said pivotally mounted member in a sition. 7

12. A prepayment meter comprising a rotatable dial adapted to be moved a distance proportional to the amount of money inserted in the meter, a pointer adapted to move in the same direction as the dial to cooperate therewith to indicate the remaining energyto the customers credit, a second rotatable dial adapted to move a predetermined amount for each rotation of the first dial and a stationary scale adapted to cooperate with the said dials to indicate the total number of coins in the meter.

13. A prepayment meter comprising a rotatable armature, a main spring haying a predetermined popointer connected to oneend thereof and a "dial'to the other end thereof, an electric switch for controlling the circuit of the said meter, an escapement mechanism operated by the said armature for permittingthe said spring tounwind continuously from its outer 'end to cause the said pointer-to rotate in V the 'samedirection as the said dial, and means depending upon therelative positions of the pointer and the said dial for tripping thesaid switch. I

j l4; Ina-rprepaymentwatthour meter, the

. copies of this patent may be obtained for "combination with a rotatable armature, of

a spring that is wound from one endand unwound from its other end, a main shaft having a segmental gear'wheel mounted thereon,

a pivotally mounted member having a seg mental pinion and a bridging contact member mounted thereon, said segmental pinion being adapted to engage the said gear wheel when the said member is rotated, means for tending to move the said pivotally mounted member to a predetermined position, station- 'ary contact members for cooperating with the bridging contact member, and "means controlled by the relation of the two ends of the spring for restrainingthe said contact in the same direction as the dial to cooperate therewith to indicate the remaining energy to the customers credit and means to cooperate with the dial to indicate the total number of coins inserted in the meter.

16. Ina prepayment watthour meter,- the combination with a coin-controlled shaft, of a segmental gear wheel mounted on the shaft, a pivotally-mounted member having a ed in the meter, a vpointer adapted'to' move contact member and a segmental pinion mounted thereon, said pinion being adapted to engage thesaid gear wheel underpredetermined conditions, means for biasing the pivotally-mounted member into two positions, and means for retaining the said pivotally-mounted member in a predetermined position. I i

I 17 In a prepayment watthour meter, the combination with a coin-controlled shaft,'of

a segmental gear "wheel mounted on the shaft, a pivotally-mounted member having a contact member and a segmental plnion mounted thereon, said pinion being adapted to engage the said gear wheelunder predetermined conditions, means for biasing the five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1). c." 

